Slack adjuster



Jan. 20, 1931. w, V E 1,789,499

SLACK ADJUSTER Filed Feb. 9, 1925 Patented Jan. 20, 1931 UNITEDTSTATES WILLIALM H. sAUvAGn, or ew YORK, N. Y., Assrenoa, avrvrnsnn nssrenms vjrsy r0 sF C IF eourgn COUPLER COMPANY, OFVNEW YORK, N'. v.

SLACK ADJUSTER Application filed February This invention relates to improvements in slack adjusters, and more particularly to automatic slack adjusters particularly adaptv 1 is to provide an improved'slack adjuster of the above gener al'character having relatively few parts, which may be inexpensively manufactured, assembled, and installed. I

' A further object is to provide a slack adjuster which maybe applied to the truckbrake rigging without material alteration of the parts now in standard-use. I

A further'object is to provide an improved brakej adjusting devicewhich will be more reliable than those now in use and will accurately take up the slack at each complete operation of. the brakes, thereby to: provide uniform piston travel ortravel of the brake actuating means. Other objects will be. in part obvious or in part pointed out hereinafter. 7 In the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawing,

Figure 1 is an elevational view of such; parts of the truck brake rigging and slack adjuster applied thereto as-Vis necessary to understand the invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged-detail view of slack adjuster, certain parts being shown-in section for convenience.

Referring now to the drawings in detail and more particularly to Figure ,1, 5 indicates the usual truck bolster provided at one side with an adjustablehanger 6 supporting the upper end of a dead lever 7 At the opposite side of the bolster, there is the live lever 8 having a brake actuating pull rod 10 adapted to be connected to the foundation brake rigging orhand'actuated device according to the type "of actuating means utilized. Both of the levers 7 and 8 are provided with the usual brake beam structures, which are, of course, provided with brake shoes for 9, 1925; Serial No.'7.,95 4.'

in the well known manner.

' coacting with the peripheries of the wheels V The lower ends of these levers, instead of 1 being connected with the usual rigid push rod, have supported thereby the slack'adjuster mechanism' which-is .shown more 7 ing cars 20 and 21 having openingstherein' through which a takeup or adjusting rod 22 passes. The end of this rod 22 curves upwardly'and is provided with'an eye 23 coacting with the element supportingthe fulcrum (not shown) of the brake beam 11.

clearly in Figure 2. This includes a rod-M Between these'ears I20 and 21there is it;

cated a friction take-up device'which includes a member 24: having a beveled surface 25 adapted to coact with the frustoconical end of a friction device 26, preferably formed of ,twosemi-cylindrical members, both ends of which are tapered in the manner shown. The tapered portion 27 is engaged by a beveled ring 28. normally urgedinto engagement therewith by means of acoil spring 30 react ing betweenja' shoulder 31 of the ring 28 and the end wall 32 ofthecontainirig member 24. .,}Thus, the friction device 26 is urged constantly into engagement with the rod 22.:

tanoebetween the ears 20 and 21, thereby to: provide a. certainv amount of lost motion "which will at all-times insure brake shoe i clearance.

As shown in pin 3%. on the ring member 28 extending throughan' elon ated slot in the contain'er 24 and the dogs .1 .1 ,Thus, .when this bar is It willfalso be: noted; that this containing 'member 24; is slightly shorter than the dis- Figure 2 the dogs 17 may 7 released by inserting a bar 38in frontof a' l 7 moved towards the left .it will force the mem 1y as follows: When the brakes are actuated,

the upper end of the live lever 8 moves toward the left, acting through the bottom rod to move the dead lever toward the right, thus applying the brakes. If any excess travel occurs exceeding that provided for between the ear 20 and the containing member 24, the rod 22 will then move freely through the friction device 26 to an amount exactly equal to this excess travel. Such movement will cause a relative change in the fulcrum point 23. On release of the brakes the live lever returns to normal position, but the fulcrum point 23 is held in its newly adjusted position. by reason of the friction devices 26, which cause a further relative travel of the lower end of the live lever 8, thereby pulling it towards the left with respect to the holding dogs 17 Thus, at the completion of each cycle of operation, all of the excess travel is fully' and completely taken up and permanently held by the adjuster.

As above explained, when it is desired to replace the brake shoes, the rod 83 is inserted to move the dogs 17 over againstthe stop 35, which simultaneously relieves the pressure upon the friction devices 26 and permits both rods 14 and 22 to be returned to normal position.

It is thus seen that the present invention provides a simple and practical slack adjuster mechanism well adapted to accomplish among others all the advantages and objects herein set forth.

lVithout further analysis, the foregoin will so fully reveal the gist of this invention that othe'rs can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without embodying certain features that, from the standpoint of the prior art, fairly constitute essential characters ofthe I generic or specificaspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalency of the following claims..

I claim as my invention:

1. In a device of the character described, in combination, an adjusting rod, a two-part friction member embracing said rod, and a beveled ring receiving an end of said memher and enclosing spring means for holding in combination, an adjusting rod, a two-part friction member embracing said rod, and a spring device holding said friction device in yielding engagement with said rod, said the distance between said supports, whereby brake shoe clearance is insured.

4. In adevice of the character described, in combination, supports, and adjusting rod passing through said supports, and take-up and holding means associated with said rod, said last means having a total length of less than the distance between said extending supports, said temporary take-up means including a container, a pair of. members enibracing said rod and having a wedging engagement with said container, and a yielding device coacting with one end of said i" friction device and having a wedging engagement therewith.

5. In a device of the character described, in combination, a two-part telescopic push rod, permanent take-up and holding means associated therewith, supports "extending ice from one of the parts'of sa-idrod, an 'adjusting rod passing through saidj supports, temporary take-up and holding, ;Ineans. associated with said rod, said last means having a total length of less than the distance between said supports, whereby brake shoe clearance is insured, said temporary take-up means including a container, a yielding dc,

vice coacting with one end of said friction";

device and'having a wedging engagement therewith, and means associated: with said container adapted to be engaged by an elongated tool thereby to simultaneously release both the temporary and permanent take-up and holding devices.

Signed at New York city this 8th day of January, 1925. 4 WILLIAM SAUVAGE.

said friction device in yielding engagement with said rod.

2. In a device of the character described, 

